悬垂状语是英语中一种特殊的非谓语形式，它同时具备两个明显的语法特点：
1. 在句子中没有与悬垂状语产生逻辑主谓关系的名词或代词，因此这种状语又称为“非附着状语”。
2. 悬垂状语不是用来修饰句子的某个成分，而是修饰整个句子，用来表示说话人叙述时的着眼点或陈述依据。
试比较下面的两组句子：
1. To be frank with his wife, he stayed home every night accompanying her.
为了向妻子表明诚意，他天天晚上待在家里陪伴她。
这个句子中的 to be frank with his wife 是 stayed home 的目的状语，其逻辑主语是 he.
To be frank with you, it is impossible for you to cover up your mistake.
坦率地对你说吧，你的错误是掩盖不了的。
这个句子中的 to be frank with you 是悬垂状语，是说话人表达观点时所持的态度，句子中的 it 和 you 都还是其逻辑主语。
2. Talking of his disappointing son, the old father flew into a rage.
说起他的那个不争气的儿子，老父亲勃然大怒。
该句中的 talking of his disappointing son 是现在分词作时间状语，逻辑主语是 the old father.
Talking of their disappointing son, he is now a danger to his neighboring residents.
说起他们那个不争气的儿子呀，他如今成了邻居们的灾星了。
该句中的 talking of their disappointing son 是悬垂状语，是说话人提出后面问题的着眼点，逻辑主语不是 he 。
悬垂状语有动词不定式和分词两种形式。使用动词不定式的有：
Truth to tell / To tell the truth, your plan is impractical.
说实话，你的计划不切合实际。
To be fair, she has made a great contribution to our company.
说句公道话，她对我们公司做出了很大的贡献。
So as to say, your daughter is the most diligent among them.
可以这么说，您女儿是他们当中最用功的。
To speak bluntly, that student is sure to fail the English examination.
说白了，这名学生英语考试一定会不及格的。
To sum up, he is a competent monitor.
总之，他是个很能干的班长。
使用现在分词的悬垂状语也有不少：
Generally speaking, newspapers follow the American way, but conference reports and schoolbooks use the British spelling.
一般来说，报纸采用美式英语的拼法，而会议报道和教科书则采用英式英语的拼法。
Supposing （ that ） there was an earthquake, what would be the right way to escape?
如果发生地震，正确的逃生方法是什么？
Not counting the retirement pension, Mr and Mrs Kupe earn 2,600 dollars a month by running a flower store.
不包括他们的退休金，库佩夫妇经营花店每个月赚 2600 美元。
Assuming that there is the chance, what is the use if he cannot come back in time and avail himself of it?
即使有此机会，如果他不及时赶回来加以利用，又有何用？
Considering her age, her knowledge of computer programming is really marvelous.
考虑到她的年龄，她的计算机程序设计知识实在令人叹服。
Concerning this affair, we can wait and see it come to obvious.
这件事呀，我们就耐心等着它水落石出吧。
Barring the economic crisis, the whole situation would have been quite different that year.
当年要是没有那场经济危机，形势就完全不一样了。
I'll lend you my cell phone providing you return it to me in a week.
我可以把手机借给你，不过一个星期后你要还给我。
少数过去分词也可以作悬垂状语，其中有些可以和同源动词的 doing 形式互换，意思并没有什么不同。如：
Simply stated, only a fool like Sam will believe this humbug.
说得简单些，只有萨姆那样的傻瓜才会相信这种鬼话。
Given their inexperience, they've done a good job.
考虑到他们缺乏经验，这项工作他们干得不错。
Granted / Granting the truth of what she has said, she ought not to be so pride to us.
就算她说得对，她也不应该对我们如此傲慢。
Judged / Judging by his strange behavior, the guy must be a thief.
这家伙举止怪异，一定是个小偷。
We are to deliver the ordered digital camera to your door provided / providing （ that ） you pay the money into our account.
倘若您将货款汇入我方账户，我们就会把您定购的数字相机送上门了。
在现代英语中，悬垂状语中的某些分词已经完全失去了动词的本来功能，只起到介词、连词或副词的作用，因此在不少辞书中，均按照其实际功能将它们注为介词、连词或副词了。
必须指出的是：悬垂状语是长期以来形成的固定的、模式化的惯用语，所能使用的仅是有限的几个不定式或分词。因此，脱离语言惯用法编造出来的其他悬垂状语都是令人难以接受的。
摘自 考试报
